Bern, Switzerland—Bicyclists rode through the Swiss countryside at a Peace Road commemoration of International Youth Day.
Peace Road is an annual international UPF project in which participants walk, run or bicycle to promote world unity and peace.
In Switzerland, the 2020 Peace Road event also celebrated the United Nations’ International Youth Day with its 2020 theme: “Youth Engagement for Global Action.”
The August 23, 2020, event was organized by UPF together with the International Association of Youth and Students for Peace (IAYSP), an affiliated organization. Jonah Gindroz, a very skilled cyclist, and Mélanie Komagata of IAYSP were the leaders.
The event had two teams bicycling to Bern, the nation’s capital. A courageous duo cycled over 70 kilometers from the Lucerne region. The second group of around 20 participants, aged between 8 and 62 years, rode from Biel/Bienne, a distance of nearly 40 kilometers.
Upon arriving in Bern, all the cyclists were welcomed at the Bundesplatz (Federal Square) by waiting UPF and IAYSP staff. They then moved to the Marzili, Bern’s city beach, for a celebration. The more courageous ones jumped into the rather cold and fast-flowing Aare River and swam along the shore.
The atmosphere was lively, with people of all ages riding with enthusiasm, taking action for the establishment of a harmonious and peaceful world.